If you’ve ever said or heard, “That’s not what I was trying to do,” an intention check might have helped your interaction. It’s a three step process. Step 1 This kata starts, like so many things in communication, with self-awareness. The first step...

SCARF is a concept developed by David Rock of the NeuroLeadership Institute and popularized in his book, Quiet Leadership. It’s a good way to take stress out of a conversation. That’s useful, since a person in stress doesn’t think clearly.Sometimes,...

Holding a good conversation is the best way to instigate change for the better. People hear what’s going on, issues are aired, confusion is cleared up, everyone goes away happy, and change goes smoothly. On what planet? While humans are naturally wired to...

How to prevent the over-commitment that leads to overwhelm This article first appeared in our newsletter in 2003. Still true! “No!” It’s a small yet powerful word, one with big consequences. It’s a word that can improve our lives and make us more valuable to those we...

I’m getting lean. Alas, this is not about my body. It’s something I’ll call “lean communication.” I’m not about to preach on short sentences and plain words, though that can be part of it. I’m convinced that...

A long time ago, in a galaxy far away, I was a television reporter. The radio people, with whom we shared a newsroom, called us “vidiots.” Were we insulted? No way! We wore the title with pride. As someone in the business of face-to-face communication, I...